The Panthers reported to training camp on Tuesday to kick off a crucial year for quarterback Bryce Young.
Young was the first overall pick last season, but he did not take the league by storm as a rookie. Young struggled as the Panthers went 2-15 and his rough entry to the league looked worse because of how well second overall pick C.J. Stroud played for the Texans.
The Panthers hit the reset button this offseason by hiring head coach Dave Canales and General Manager Dan Morgan to take the team into a new direction. On Tuesday, Morgan said he has no doubt about how hard Young will work to become the player they expect him to be.
“I think Bryce is one of the hardest working men in that locker room,” Morgan said, via the team’s website. “I know he’s on a mission. I know he’s committed to be great. I know he’s committed to this franchise and making this franchise great. We’re going to do everything in our power to surround him with the best players, the best protection . . . so we’ve got to do our part as well. But I know Bryce is hungry, he’s focused and we’re super excited about him.”
As much as the Panthers needed to upgrade the pieces around Young, the nature of the NFL is that an outsize amount of credit and blame goes to quarterbacks. That will be the case for Young, so the Panthers need his mission to be a successful one.
